Payer awarded secod RMAC Defensive Player of the Week honor of the season

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (November 1, 2016) - The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference named Colorado State University-Pueblo sophomore Brandon Payer (Pine, Colo.) RMAC Defensive Player of the Week, Monday, which was the inside linebacker's second honor of the season.

Payer was also recognized Oct. 17 and has helped the ThunderWolves pick up six weekly honors this season. Kyle Rosenbrock (R-Fr., LB, Brush, Colo.) was the defensive player of the week last Monday and Daniel Wise (Sr., WR, Arlington, Texas) was special teams player of the week Oct. 17. Bernard McDondle (Jr., RB, Littleton, Colo.) was offensive player of the week Oct. 10 and Emery Taylor (CB, R-Fr., Aurora, Colo.) won the defensive award Sept. 19.

Payer guided the defense in a 10-7 road victory at Western State Colorado University Saturday with 12 tackles (two solo), 1.5 tackles for loss (-3 yards) and two pass break-ups.

The Pack (6-3, 6-2 RMAC) allowed just 66 second half yards to the Mountaineers (6-3, 6-3 RMAC) and 228 total, which was well below their 450.6 season average. The ThunderWolves entered the game allowing 79.0 yards per game on the ground (third nationally), while WSCU had been averaging 274.9 rushing yards per contest (seventh nationally). CSU-Pueblo held Western State to only 58 rushing yards and the contained the nation's leading rusher, Austin Ekeler, to a season-low 67 rushing yards.

Payer leads the team and ranks tied for fifth in the RMAC with 77 tackles (33 solo). His 8.5 tackles for loss (-17 yards) is tied for seventh.

With at least a share of the 2016 RMAC Championship still in sight, CSU-Pueblo will conclude the regular season with two home games, starting with RMAC newcomer Dixie State University, Nov. 5 at 2 p.m.

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As a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Colorado State University – Pueblo competes in 22 varsity sports in NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletics.